Daily Republican., 1887-11-02
THE DEATH OF BlUcHER,

After the events through which the
map OF Europe was completely altered
In 1915 the Prussien Field Marshal
Blucher, the savior OF Wellington at
Waterloo, and whom nobody liked be.
cause OF his rudeness and brutality,
was put on the retired list. Disheart-
ened by his removal and reduced to-
inaction and obscurity, he left Berlin
and went to reside In his castle stu
ated in Pomerania. Soon he fell into
deep melancholy, rendered more IN
tense by dropsy and inflammation of
the chest. A strange change in his
character took place. That rough sol.
dier became tlmid, even poltroon. He
would not remain alone in darkness:
solitude threw him into singular an
cuisines. His state Of health was re-
ported to the king, who esteemed and
loved him great deal. The monarch
having heard that at several times the
marshal had expressed the wish of
| seeing him once more before he died,
resolved to visit him.
Leaving Berlin in the morning, the
Ting of Prussia arrived In Krieblowitz
early in the evening. Immediately he
was conducted to Blucher's room. The
sick man, aged "a years, was reclining
on sofa placed before a large Chin
ney, in which enormous logs of wood
were burning. Their flames illumi-
mated the room and cast mobile and
red reflections on the features Of the
cid man wrapped up in bearskin. At
the entrance of his sovereign in his
apartment, Blucher tried to rise out of
-espect for his august visitor, who pre-
vented him from doing 30. The king
took chair and sat by the side OF the
marshal.
Blucher ordered to be left alone with
his master. When every one had LETT
the room he said:
"Sire, have humbly requested your
majesty TO come here, in this castle of
Krieblowitz; rather than not see you
would have gone to Berlin myself, al
though l am dying. I have a secret
to confde to your majesty, terri
BILE one. Will my king allow me to
speak!"
"Certainly, my dear marshal"
Before listening to my narrative.
sire, look at me well. Assure yourself
that am in the full possession of my
senses and that l am not lunatic.
Sometimes l believe to be on the verge
of insanity; and doubt II / am no,
taking yesterdays visions for o re-
menbrance OF days gone by. But nol'
added he, drawing gold braccle,
from his pocket, "no, all Is true, all ia
real, and am sure OF what / am say
ing.
"Listen to me. your majesty:
| "When, In 1855, the Seven Years
War began, my tsther. who inhabited
his castle of Gross Renzow, sent me tC
the manor of our relatives, situated in
Rugen Island. After while the Rus
sian government offered me the grade
of cornet in the Black Hussars regi
ment 1 accepted of furlough t
affoid me the opportunity OF paying {
visit to my family, that ] had not seer
for months. A leave of absence was
granted to me.
"On my way to Gross Renzow
found all that part of the Mecklenbure
horribly devastated. Arriving abou
four miles from home I became awa',
that my carriage could not ascend III,
new sleepy road conducting to tn,
house of my ancestors. l abandoned
| 1t, and pursued by journey on horse
back, followed by one of my servants
at was fifty nine years ago thi
very day, the 18th of August, and q
the hour indicated now by this antique
clock-half past eleven. A dreadful
tempest shook the trees, the flashes O
lightning blinded me and the report
of thunder desfened me; the rain wa
pouring. After gslloping quite Will
| in the forest arrived before the castl
alone; my servant had lost his wa.
through the inclemency of the westh
er.
"Without dismounting I knocked a
the door with my whip. Nobody an
swered my call that l repeated thre
times without being answered. Ou
of patience, / alighted from my horse
assembled the stoop and entered thu
castle. No light, no noise anywhere
avow that my heart went to m
throat and chill crept through m!
body.
"What foolishness! thought l; tn
castle Is deserted my family has gon
to the city. No matter. as | am here
must arrange myself as well as pos
sible.
"And l crossed hall and went t
my fathers room. A fire half extin
guished was smoking in the chimney
by its faint light saw my father, m,
mother and my four sisters, seate'
around the fireplace; they rose whel
they perceived me. ran TO kiss m,
father; he stopped me with gesture
1 extended my arms to my mother; sh
fell back with sad motion OF thu
head. called my sisters, each sepa
rately; they took each other by tn
hand without answering me. Thel
the whole of them returned to thei
seats.
"'Do not you know me any morei
exclaimed l. is 1t like this a family
ought to receive son and brother
Have you already heard ofmy entranc
| in the Russian serviceP l could no
refuse. Remember that the first thin!
| l do is to come and inform you of m,
action. What my father, you do no
speak2 My mother, you keep silent
Have you forgotten. my sisters, OIL
mutual tenderness, and the plays o
our childhood-those plays that thi
place has witnessed 80 oftspp
"At those last words my sisters ap
peared to be moved. They spoke low
rose and slgnaled me to approach. On
of them knelt before my mother IS |
| II, a. nm tod 70 y,lau a rama in wv hi nj